Machine for stringing tobacco upon laths



(No Model.) D. S. YOUNOE, J..O. SHELLABARG'ER & W. H. NICHOLAS.

MAGHINE FOR STRINGING TOBAGGO UPON LATHS.

l Patented June '7; 1887-.

s. Phum-liulcgnphnr. Washington D. c.

WY/97555 5. i- 519W U ITED STATES IEFFICE.

PATENT DAvID s. YOU'NOE, JOSEPH c. SHELLABARGER, AND WILLIAM H.NICHOLAS,

- OF WEST MILTON, OHIO.

'MACHINE FOR STRINGING TOBACCO UPON LATHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,621, dated June 7,1887.

I Application filed March 19, 1887. Serial No. 931,557. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVID S. YoUNoE, Josnrn O; SHELLABARGER, andWILLIAM H. NICHOLAS, of West Milton, in the county of Miami and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forStringing Tobacco upon Laths; and we do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, referencebeinghadto the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

Our invention relates to an improvementin machines for stringing tobaccoupon l-aths; and it consists in the combination of a stationary frame, asliding table placed thereon and provided with guides to hold thetobacco-plants in position, the spudder, the spring-actuated guidesbetween which it is held, and theholder for the outer'end of the lathupon which the plants are being strung, as will be more fully describedhereinafter.

The ob ect ofour invention is to produce a: machine by means of whichtobacco-plants can be strung upon laths more quickly and readily view ofthe spudder and the guides.

than can be done by hand.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of amachine embodying our invention. Fig. 2is an end view. Fig. 3 is a plan View. Fig. 4 isa perspective of thespudder. Fig. 5 is a detail Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the catchwhich supports one end of thelath. Fig. 7 is an enlarged View of theguides, showing the groove in which the spudder moves.

A represents a stationary frame, and B the sliding table, which isplaced thereon, and which moves back and forth in relation to thespudder. This table will be of any suitable construction, and upon whichthe tobaccoplants are placed preparatory to being strung upon the lath.Suitable friction-rollers are placed under the corners of this table,soas to cause it to slide back and forth more readily than it otherwisewould do. top of this table, near its inner edge, are the verticalguides G,- in between which the stalks of the plants are placed andheld,so that they cannot get out of position while being operated uponby the spudder.

Rising from the Secured to the side of the frame, and extendingtransversely across, is the beam D, to the outer end of which is securedthe vertical upright E. Secured to opposite ends of this up 5 3 right Eare the two arms F, which are connected together by the spiral springG,so as to be always drawn inward toward each other. To the inner end ofeach of these armsF is secured a vertical rod, H, to the inner end ofwhich is secured a guide, I. Both of the rods H pass through guides, soas to always retain them in position and cause them to move in a directline with each other. As the two arms are drawn forcibly toward eachother at their free ends by means of the spring G, the two guides arealways held forced tightly against opposite sides of the spudder J,which is held stationary in suitable grooves, L, made in the inner sideof the guides 0. One of these 0 guides, I, is provided with asmallprojection, which catches in a corresponding recess in the spudder, andthus holds the spudder in position while the table is being forcedendwise,so as to force the point of the spudder through 7 the plants astheyilie upon the table. In the rear end of the spudder is formed asuitable recess, in whichone end of the lathN is made to catch, and theother end of the lath is held in position by the slotted spring-actuatedcatch I O,which is adjustable back and forth upon the upright P, for thepurpose of accommodating the length of the lath. The catch 0 has a se:ries of notches made in its under side, so that they will catch upon theflange which is made upon the end of the support Q. The outer end of thelath catches in a recess made in the inner end of the catch, as shown.The pressure of the spring to applied to the upper end of the upright I?keeps the catch forced down upon 0 the flange, and thus prevents it frommoving or getting out of position.

ward. This spudder, being sharp-pointed, IOO

passes through the stems, and as one plant after the other is impaledupon the spudder they are forced back upon the lath. As each stem isforced backward through the guides I they automatically move outward tolet them pass, and then snap back into position again. As soon as onelath is filled with tobacco it is removed and replaced by another. Bymeans of the construction here shown the plants can be placed upon thelath,ready to be hung up and dried, much more rapidly and quickly thancan be done by hand.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. The combination of thestationary frame, the endwise-lnoving table placed thereon, the uprightsor guides O, rising from the table, and between which the ends of theplants are placed, the spring'actuated guides I, the spudder, andasupport for holding the outer end of the lath in position,substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the frame A, the end wise-sliding table 13,provided with vertical guides 0 near one edge, the spudder which moveshorizontally between the guides, the spring-actuated guides fordirecting the plants to the end of the spudder, one of them beingprovided with a small projection to catch in the corresponding recess inthe spudder, the lath upon which the tobacco is strung, and theadjustable support for the outer end of the lath, substantially asdescribed 8. The combination of the support Q, pro vided with a flange,the notched adjustable catch O,'plaeed upon thespudder, theupright P,which passes through the slot in the catch, and the spring which forcesthe catch down upon the support, with the lath N, the spudder whichsupports the other end of the lath, the guides C, the table 13, and thespring-actuated guides, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the frame, the end wise-moving table provided withuprights er guides for holding the plants in position, the cross-beam D,the nprightE,eonneeted thereto, the two arms F, connected together bythe spring G, the guides I, the spudder which is placed between them,and the catch for bolding the lath, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

Ins .VILLIAM X H. NIOHOL AS.

\Vitnesscs:

J. O. DAVIS, G. A. PEIRCE.

